Chapter 06
Blooming Narcissus
Now—
He stood there, watching Toushirou sleeping soundly, just shy of a small sweet smile on his face as silent snores filled the room. How could someone so cranky and reserved towards others, manage to become so warm and beautiful—so breath taking even? Looking around to see that everything was in place, he came over and lied down next to the white-haired male, and kissed his forehead. It stirred the sleeper awake, looking at the man that was inches away from his face with a wide easy smile on his lips now.
Toushirou sat up, staring at him. "You stayed?"
"I…" he paused. "I wasn't ready to leave you."
"You're staying a little longer? What about—"
"Don't question why I'm staying longer, Idiot."
Not knowing what to do or think, he quickly embraced him as tears descended down his face happily… and a little sad. Even though Ichigo did not know how long he was going to be staying in this timeline, he knew that he was not ready to leave. With the elder most likely roaming around on a morning walk, it gave the two the opportunity to get closer again as they were the other night. This was something that they both wanted, and if the Toushirou in his world was waiting for him, a few days or weeks were okay.
However, it's been five years.
"Kurosaki, are you around?" Toushirou looked around the hut curiously, seeing no one in sight. "Must be training again in the fields." He did not mind taking his time arriving to the field to see the man. After a ten-minute walk, he peered around the bush to see a long black-haired man that was really a carrot top in disguise. "He really needs a haircut." The small male raised his reiatsu for the man to sense him.
Ichigo stopped to look at him curiously, only to see his little partner sporting a haori that was meant for Captains of the Gotei 13. He smiled genuinely at him to see that he had been made a captain in such a short amount of time, but was a little disheartened. With Toushirou a captain now, there was no reason for him to stay around and be his support any longer; this was the end for them in this timeline. His soft brown hues watched as Toushirou came over to embrace him happily; knowing that he made him proud for becoming a first-seat officer.
The captain gave him an instant kiss on the lips as his hearty greeting towards his tall, muscular lover of five years. He wrapped his arms around him as the other pulled him up so his legs would wrap around his waist before being pinned up against a tree. They could only do this twice a month because he was doing everything he could to achieve his bankai and the approval of the other captains. No one knew though, that it only took him five years to obtain his bankai because Ichigo taught him how he learned his. Granted, he did not learn it in two or three days, but it did not take him two or three centuries like some other captains.
"Toushirou," Ichigo whispered hotly into his ear after their lips parted. "Now that you're a Taichou, I can't stay here much longer. I stayed behind as you asked from me. Now I need you to let me go."
"I understand, and this was why I wanted you to wait." Turquoise hues stared at him. "As a regular little Shinigami, you would have returned to your time without saying goodbye to me. But you can't now."
"I could still do it. There are many tricks up my sleeve that you don't know about me still." The man chuckled as he kissed his ear. "Things that you will get to learn when you see me in the future."
"I'm looking forward to it. But the reason why I wanted you to wait until I was a Taichou, was so that I could watch you leave." His chin lifted as the man sucked on his neck. "G-God don't do that… not here."
"No one with reiatsu is in the area, none of the villagers are either. It's just you and me." His tongue trailed up to his ear, licking inside it before whispering. "Are you not in the mood for entertainment?"
"Stuck with smelly older men can dull any sexual desire that one could possibly have, but you hit the spots to make it just right again." The captain grasped the lover's hair tightly. "How dirty am I? I was just promoted to Taichou, and I run here to have sex with you first. You bastard… you made me a pervert."
"I like my partners a little perverted—" His glare turned sharply towards their sudden guest. He set Toushirou down before facing the elder. "Sixty years doesn't change you at all, Jii-san." Ichigo glanced at his arm, mused. "I forgot you had two arms once upon a time." He turned his body around to look at the old man face-to-face. "You worried that your new Taichou was up to something, and came by yourself." The elder glared at him firmly. "Ah? You're not pleased because you cannot sense any reiatsu within me. But if you intend to fight me, you will lose. I know all your fighting skills, and I'm not your enemy."
"What are you doing? You have to leave." Toushirou attempted to get in front of him. "Go, I'll—"
"Stay behind me, you're not strong enough to face him yet." Ichigo interrupted before he could even take a step forth. "If Jii-san has found me, then it's probably for the best." His attention then went to the elder. "I am sixty years from the future, and I have been here for the past five years to ensure that your newest Taichou would be strong enough for the future battles ahead." As soon as the elder twitched the staff in hand, Ichigo brought a scroll out from his robe, throwing it to him, which was caught easily.
The elder opened the scroll and read it silently to himself to see that the letter that was in his distinct handwriting along with his signature and stamp. In fact, it had many signatures and stamps of captains that were familiar to him; this was not possible a joke from this man. It was dated from the future. A letter was to any Shinigami to back off from Kurosaki Ichigo because Soul Society was buried deep in his gratitude for all of the things that he had done for them. He looked at the black-haired man firmly as he rolled the scroll up and tossed it back at him before holding his staff in to hands.
"I will excuse this then, however, it is time that you return to your time."
"Give me three hours with Toushirou, by then, you should have the gate privately opened with my location patched properly." Ichigo demanded. "In three hours, I will part from this world without any complaint." He motioned the little captain to leave the area with him. "Come on, let's celebrate now—"
"Kurosaki, what powers do you possess?" The Commanding-General asked firmly.
He did not bother looking at him. "My Shinigami transformation was involuntary through Hollowfication. However, because of it, I learned the true final form of the Zanpakutou. Even then, I have learned far more dangerous things in order to protect my town, this world, and everyone that I care about."
With that, he and the little captain left.
The old man thought on this.
"If you were going to reveal yourself to the old man, why have you been hiding?" Toushirou frowned at the man that lied next to him under the covers. "What was the purpose of everything you were doing?"
"If it's Jii-san, then there's always a way to deal with him." He smiled, kissing his sweaty forehead. "If I had ran off, I would have possible needed to kill him for not getting off my butt. Then I'd have to take his place or become a Taichou. Blah, blah, blah…" His eyes rolled. "At least this way, I have to leave."
"You want to get rid of me that badly?"
"Are you sure I don't want to go, to get back to you?"
"How long do I have to wait until I meet you again?"
"About…" Ichigo tried to think. "Forty-five years?"
"That's too long, stay another decade."
He laughed at this. "No, no, I need to see everyone and break things off with Renji to be with you." An idea hit him. "Or I can punish you for keeping this a secret from me as soon as we started to become friends." That sounded a little fun. "Yeah… kissing Abarai in front of you, so you get jealous and hit him."
"I'll remember that."
"I know you will."
His callused hand came up and caressed the small captain's face, staring at him deeply to see him as the man he knew. The intense stare caused Toushirou to look away with a blush; trying to hide his reddened cheeks that showed his embarrassment. Slowly, and teasingly, the hand lowered to move the haori and shihakusho from the slender shoulders in order for him to kiss the right shoulder. Toushirou's head threw back in bliss before shyly nuzzling into his lover's neck as he felt the obi being untied at his waist. They were going to do it right now… one last time… and he was going to enjoy it fully, to the extent of remembering this moment until they do it again in the future.
"God I want to say it to you." Ichigo whispered bitterly.
"Say what?" He muttered into the man's neck.
"I can't say it to you until I go back, it's unfair to you."
The captain understood, and smiled softly. "Ah, but…"
His form stops to hear him out. "But what?" What is it?
"I can say it for you. I can say I love you, and you love me."
Lips curved into a smile, "you're too smart for your own good, Toushirou." He kissed him. "Say it again."
Toushirou looked away, blushing this round. "I love Kurosaki Ichigo." This earned him a passionate kiss. "And I know Kurosaki Ichigo will love me in return one day." The kisses trailed down his neck. "I'll wait for as long as I have to, to have myself back into your arms." He buried into the man's chest happily.
"I'll do everything to stay at your side when I get back." Ichigo whispered. "I know what to do."
He looked up at him, slightly worried. "What are you going to do? So I know that you'll come to me."
"No, it's going to be a surprise." With another kiss, he flips him over. "For now, let's have some fun."
Carefully, he stripped the newly appointed captain naked from head to toe, he prepped him up to be ready for penetration, and entered soon enough. The small one whimpered at first due to his small size always having to readjust to such a large male organ inserting him. But he became familiar with the size soon enough, and felt Ichigo move in rhythm before going deeply within him to have him moan loudly. The moans where captured in a kiss to keep him from disturbing everyone else in the village as they keep their pace going for a long time. Toushirou erupted long before Ichigo, but that did not stop the Strawberry from continuing his pursuit inside of him.
"I'm going… to watch… you leave…" The captain pants loudly as he tries to dim the moans from his throat. "I… won't fall… unconscious… this time…" His hips buck upward, erupting again. "You're killing me…" Their mouths connected again in a passionate kiss until he breaks away. "What are you doing—"
"Giving you something to remember me by." After this is said, he pushed himself all the way inside of Toushirou, hearing him cry out at the last thrust before feeling the hot liquids pouring into him. "If any person, or creature, touches you in the ways that I have, I will absolutely kill them on the spot."
"…not unless I kill them first…"
"Ah… there is that. You devil."
"I'm the devil? You're no angel."
Ichigo smirked, "fair enough."
"Thanks for the note, Jii-san." The Strawberry waved the note in hand before turning to Toushirou. "Be good for a few decades until I come back as an idiot teenager." He smiles devilishly, causing the little captain to blush. "I'll see you soon." With that, Ichigo turned around, and ran through the Senkai Gate.
He stopped to look around once the gate once sealed.
"Now that I think about it… when is that damn thing supposed to be coming around?" His hand comes up to scratch his head briefly until the ground shook. "…crap." As soon as he turned to look, he only had time to grab his guitar to change into a scythe, and swing it at the large cleaner. "I wonder if that was a dumb move on my behalf." He scratched his head again, only to realize that he lost his long orange locks of hair. "This better be good! It took forever to grow that!" Ichigo turned around and darted off towards the direction he came from, and jumped through the entrance, only to see that it was day and not night.
Rangiku jumped in fright when passing the gates out of luck, "I-Ichigo. I thought you were coming to the party a little late tonight… w-what are you doing here so early?" She blinked curiously, too surprised.
He is also taken by surprise from her words. "Party?" What party, was she not worried about him these past five years! "What are you talking about Rangiku-san?" His eyes trailed her from head to toe.
"Hitsugaya-Taichou's birthday party. He said he asked you to come, and that you would try to make it after work! It's not even noon and you're here!" She grins. "I bet you just couldn't wait to see him!"
At first, he can only stare in surprise, but begins to smile warmly. "Ah, you're right." Rangiku is amazed by his honesty. "I guess I made good timing. But I have a few things to get done before I see him, okay?"
"Kay!" With that, she scampered off.
He sighed quietly as he tried to figure things out; not only did he jump back right where he left, but he was a few hours early? Oh well, this made things all the more perfect in his mind! As he took a step forth to find the Commanding-General, he sensed Renji with Byakuya, making him scowl unhappily. With a simple flash step, he was in front of the administrative office, and attempted to open it silently, but it was locked. It was time for him to tell them who was the boss around here, and slammed his foot into the sliding doors, revealing the two men having sex on the desk. Ichigo leaned against the broken doorframe, staring at the two casually as he crossed his arms, watching as the two are frozen on horror.
"By all means, continue." Ichigo watched as the two ripped away from one another. "Ouch."
"I-Ichigo, I can explain! T-Taichou forced himself on me! He's drunk!" Renji cried his case.
"Do I look drunk to you." Byakuya scowled at the redhead. "You said you were done with him."
"No, but I'm done with both of you." In a flash, he was in front of them, and slapped them in the face.
The two fell to the ground, but neither of them was willing to get up from where they had fallen, so they only watched him. Renji saw something in his brown chocolate hues that was different from what he had seen earlier that morning in his eyes. When he tried to realize what the look was, Ichigo kicked him in the face for trying to find out what the glint in his eyes was. Spitting on the ground, Ichigo turned around and left the room to kidnap Ukitake Juushirou and Kyouraku Shunsui before heading towards the Commanding-General's place. When things were taken care of there, and with everyone in their happy agreements with the note, Ichigo was given a white haori.
Kurosaki Ichigo was now the Captain of the Fifth Squad.
"No ceremony, please. I want it to be a surprise towards everyone else." The elder nods reluctantly to Ichigo's request after everything he has done for them. "See you all later, I have to make another visit!"
Juushirou stared in surprise. "…my, he's certainly in high spirits."
"That's love for ya, Ukitake." Shunsui chuckled proudly.
"It's bad enough that I already lost a pair of Taichou to one another." Shigekuni glared at the two in front of him; talking about them specifically. "Now that I've gained another Taichou, I'm losing another."
They perked curiously to this information.
"Yo," Ichigo called casually, waving a hand as he comes to visit the little captain. "I hope your day has been better than mine, because let me tell you, ever since you left the apartment today, it's sucked!"
"K-Kurosaki, why are you wearing a haori?" Toushirou blinked in surprise. "W-What's the meaning of—"
"It's Kurosaki-Taichou to you." He huffed as he took a seat on the couch. "Jii-san got tired of waiting."
"I know that he's wanted you to become a Taichou for a few years now, but… you finally accepted?"
His eyes rolled at this. "Eh, I owe Soul Society anyway for giving me my Shinigami powers back right?"
"Oh…" the little captain looked to the desk. "I see." He tried to think. "Shouldn't you be with Abarai?"
"I caught him sleeping with Byakuya, before I was made a Taichou. I kicked Renji's ass for it." He huffed.
"So now that you're free, I wonder who your next victim will become. Will it be a man or a woman?"
"You're kind of cute, maybe I should try you for once, huh?" Ichigo saw him blush deeply. "Interested?"
"N-No, of course not, you pervert!" He stood up on his feet. "Don't ask such stupid thing! I'm straight!"
"You're a liar," his smile widened. "You know, I was awake when you woke up, I know you tried to k—"
"I did not try to kiss you Kurosaki!"The little captain lied unhappily. "Shut up or get out of my office!"
'So he did try to kiss me?' Ichigo had only been making a wild guess, but he stood up and walked over to Toushirou's desk. "I didn't know what you want for your birthday. Would you rather have my body—"
Toushirou slapped him hard across the face, scowling. "Get out."
He did not anticipate being slapped. "Go figure." His hand rubs his face. "I come back from sixty years in the past, just to get slapped?" Ichigo brought out the small with box with the teal ribbon on it, and set it on the desk. "Forget it, happy birthday Toushirou. I'm going home." The Strawberry turned and left. "I was stupid to think that you'd be happy, but you sure proved me wrong! Goodnight Hitsugaya-Taichou!"
Not sure about this, he grabbed the box and removed the ribbon to see the necklace with the snowflake pendant. It was his Ichigo. "Kurosaki, wait!" He set the gift down and chased after him. "Kurosaki! Wait, please!" There he was at the end of the hall, and he threw himself at him. "Kurosaki, I'm sorry!"
"Why? You did nothing wrong." Ichigo growled stubbornly.
"I thought you were teasing me! I didn't want to say anything if you hadn't traveled back to meet me!"
"God you're a crybaby." He felt the little captain squeeze tightly around him. "…Toushirou."
"I thought you were teasing me, please…" his face buried into him. "I'm sorry."
The carrot top turned around in his hold. "Tou-shi-rou…" He called.
Turquoise looked up, worried to be given up on. "Y-Yes…"
"I love you." His body leaned forth, and kissed his lips.
A/N: I know it's a shitty ending... but, it's better than nothing!